1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an vital sign box housing a plurality of vital sensors such as an electrocardiograph and a blood pressure monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in connection with high concern about health and the coming of super aged society, for the grip of health conditions, for example, electrocardiographs and blood pressure monitors that can measure electrocardio and blood pressure in home have been developed. Medical care equipment such an electrocardiograph or a blood pressure monitor is called a vital sensor, and the vital sensor utilized in home is miniaturized, and hence can be carried. Furthermore, vital sign boxs, each of which houses such a plurality of miniaturized vital sensors in one housing, have been also developed. FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing an vital sign box used in Medi Data that is an online medical check system developed by SECOM Co. Ltd./SECOM home medical care system Co., Ltd.
In addition, in connection with the diffusion of multimedia, systematization of home medical care, telemedicine, and remote house visit is requested.
As a system for such requests, the above-described Medi Data. of SECOM Co., Ltd./SECOM home medical care system Co., Ltd. is known. Medi Data is a system that the above-described vital sign box is connected to a nurse center via a communication line, for example, a patient in home medical care measures the Patient""s own blood pressure with using a vital sensor contained in the vital sign box to transmit the measurement to the nurse center. Furthermore, in the nurse center, the measurement is received and stored, and the transition of the measurements is reported to a doctor, who performs telemedicine with using a telephone and the like on the basis of the measurements that the doctor are reported.
In addition, as another system performing the home medical care and telemedicine, a home medical care support system by Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd. is also known. The system consists of home terminal equipment that is installed in home and to which a plurality of vital sensors and a camera to take a picture of patient""s appearance such as a face and the like in home medical care are connected, and transmits the patient""s images via a communication line with measurements measured by the vital sensors to a center. The center grips not only the measurements measured by the vital sensors, but also the patient""s appearance. In addition, by providing a camera in the center and letting faces of a doctor and a nurse in the center know the patient, it is possible to remove the patient""s anxiety for the telemedicine. Furthermore, by providing each talking unit in the home terminal equipment and the center, it is possible to perform communication by voice.
However, a camera for taking a picture of patient""s appearance such as a face and the like is not provided in the conventional vital sign box used in Medi Data that is an online medical check system made by SECOM Co., Ltd./SECOM home medical care system Co., Ltd. On the other hand, in the home medical care support system made by Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd., a camera can be connected to home terminal equipment. But, since the camera is used with being fixed in substance and is not a handy type camera, after it is fixed once, it is possible just to take a picture of an object in a viewing angle range to some extent. Nevertheless, it is not possible to take a picture of, for example, a patient""s face sometimes, and to take a picture of the patient""s foot locally in another time.
In addition, in the above-described conventional vital sign boxs, an input of a measurement measured by each vital sensor is performed by manually inputting the measurement with using a ten-key pad after a user confirms the measurement. The manual input of the measurement using the ten-key pad in this manner is troublesome work for a user, and a mishit may be performed. Furthermore, there is also a possibility of false inputting a measurement.
Moreover, each of the above-described conventional vital sign boxs includes memory to record measurements measured by each vital sensor, and a display for displaying, for example, the transition of measurements for 30 days in a graph. Nevertheless, daily drifts of measurements may not be expressed clearly in the graph displayed in the display. For example, in case a display area is too large in comparison with the largeness of drifts or a display scale is not suitable, daily drifts of measurements are not expressed clearly.
In addition, in a conventional vital sign box, although it is possible to display a measurement measured by each vital sensor in a display, for example, a user having poor eyesight may feel resistance to looking at a displayed measurement. Thus, depending on a user or a using status, it may be more convenient to let the user auditorily inform the measurement by sound than to visually display the measurement in a display.
Furthermore, in the above-described conventional vital sign box, it is possible to transmit a measurement, measured by each vital sensor, to an administration section such as a nurse center via a communication line. Nevertheless, since, for example, a camera for taking a picture of an affected part and the like of a patient in home medical care is not provided, it is not possible to transmit such an image to the administration section.
Furthermore, in the above-described conventional vital sign box, it is possible to transmit a measurement, measured by each vital sensor, to an administration section such as a nurse center via a communication line. Nevertheless, in case of telemedicine, after having received a measurement, it is necessary for a doctor and a nurse in the administration section to inquire a user of the vital sign box, who transmitted the measurement, about health conditions with a telephone or the like. However, if answers to inquiry items have been transmitted to the administration section with the measurements, measured by each vital sensor, beforehand, it becomes unnecessary for a doctor and a nurse in the administration section to inquire the sender. Hence they can have a time margin for medical practice.
An object of the present invention is to provide an vital sign box which has means of being able to take a picture of an object with changing the object and/or an imaging angle flexibly, in consideration of a subject that, in a conventional vital sign box, a camera taking a picture of an object is not provided, and even if home terminal equipment has a capability for connecting a camera, it is not possible to flexibly change an imaging object and/or an imaging angle.
In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide an vital sign box, having vital sensors which can input measurements into memory without letting a user manually input the measurements, in consideration of a subject that, in a conventional vital sign box, a use is made to manually input the measurements when inputting the measurements, measured by the vital sensors, into memory.
Furthermore, still another object of the present invention is to provide an vital sign box, having a display to clearly display drifts of measurements which have been measured by the vital sensors and have been recorded in a predetermined period, in consideration of a subject that, in a display of a conventional vital sign box, the drifts of the measurements measured and recorded in the predetermined period may not be clearly displayed.
Moreover, a further object of the present invention is to provide an vital sign box having a speaker, outputting measurements, measured by vital sensors, with using sound, in consideration of a subject that measurements measured by vital sensors are not outputted by sound in a conventional vital sign box.
In addition, a still further object of the present invention is to provide an vital sign box not only having means of taking a picture of an object but also being able to transmit an image of the object, that is taken by the imaging means, to a communication partner, in consideration of a subject that, in a conventional vital sign box, for example, a camera taking a picture of an affected part and the like of a patient in home medical care is not provided. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is also to provide an vital sign box that receives information from a communication partner and can perform bi-directional communication.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is also to provide an vital sign box that inquires a user of the vital sign box about health conditions, in consideration of a subject that a conventional vital sign box does not inquire the user of the vital sign box about health conditions.
The 1st invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 1) is an vital sign box comprising: a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body; an camera taking a picture of a predetermined object; and a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors and the camera.
The 2nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 2) is the vital sign box according to 1st invention, further comprising a base that is rotatable, can be fixed at a predetermined angle, and houses the camera at the time of detachment.
The 3rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 3) is the vital sign box according to 1st invention, wherein the camera is rotatable, and can be fixed at a predetermined angle.
The 4th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 4) is the vital sign box according to 1st invention, wherein the camera is detachable.
The 5th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 5) is the vital sign box according to 4th invention, wherein the camera is a fixed focus type camera.
The 6th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 6) is the vital sign box according to 5th invention, wherein the camera comprises:
a string-like or rod-like body that indicates whether distance between the imaging object and a predetermined section of the camera becomes predetermined length, and is attached at the predetermined section of the camera, and has predetermined length;
instruction receiving means of receiving an imaging instruction of the imaging object; and
imaging means of taking a picture of the imaging object when the instruction receiving means receives the imaging instruction.
The 7th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 7) is the vital sign box according to 5th invention, wherein the camera comprises:
range-finding means of detecting distance between the imaging object and the predetermined section of the camera;
comparing means of comparing distance, detected by the range-finding means, with predetermined length;
result output means of outputting a comparison result, obtained by the comparing means, by a sound and/or an image;
instruction receiving means of receiving an imaging instruction of the imaging object; and
imaging means of taking a picture of the imaging object when the instruction receiving means receives the imaging instruction.
The 8th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 8) is the vital sign box according to 5th invention wherein the camera comprises:
range-finding means of detecting distance between the imaging object and a predetermined section of the camera;
comparing means of comparing distance, detected by the range-finding means, with predetermined length; and
imaging means of taking a picture of the imaging object when distance, detected by the range-finding means, substantially coincides with the predetermined length.
The 9th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 9) is the vital sign box according to 1st invention, wherein the camera has a lighting section emitting light to the object.
The 10th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 10) is the vital sign box according to 1st invention, further comprising a display displaying an object whose image is taken by the camera.
The 11th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 11) is an vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors that measures predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body, and transmits measurements, obtained by the measurement, with using an electric wave;
a reception sensor receiving measurements from the plurality of vital sensors;
memory recording measurements received by the reception sensor; and
a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, the reception sensor, and the memory.
The 12th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 12) is the vital sign box according to 11th invention, wherein the electric wave is an infrared ray having a predetermined wavelength.
The 13th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 13) is an vital sign box comprising: a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body; and a housing with a lid that contains at least the plurality of vital sensors, wherein the lid has a shank that becomes a substantially shaft when the lid is opened and closed;
wherein the shank is provided in the housing so that a main body of the housing has a front section and a rear section to the shank; and
wherein the lid can be fixed in a status that the lid stands to a bottom section of the vital sign box with using the shank when the vital sign box is used.
The 14th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 14) is the vital sign box according to 13th invention further comprising a display that is provided and fixed inside the lid of the housing, and displays measurements measured by the vital sensors.
The 15th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 15) is an vital sign box comprising: a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body; a display displaying measurements measured by the vital sensors; and a housing with a lid that contains the plurality of vital sensors and the display.
The 16th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 16) is the vital sign box according to 15th invention, wherein the display is movable;
wherein the housing has a display fixing section to fix the display; and
wherein the display lies in a bottom section of the housing at the time of non-use and can be fixed in a status that the display stands to the bottom section of the housing with using the display fixing section at the time of use.
The 17th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 17) is an vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;
memory recording measurements measured by the vital sensors;
a display that displays measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or a plurality of measurements recorded in the memory, and determines a display range and/or a display scale with each of the measurements, which are displayed, being as a reference; and
a housing that contains the plurality of vital sensors, the memory, and the display.
The 18th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 18) is the vital sign box according to 17th invention wherein each of the measurement to be a reference is a newest measurement and the item to be determined is a display range.
The 19th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 19) is the vital sign box according to 17th invention, wherein, when at least one of the plurality of vital sensors measures upper and lower limits of the predetermined condition substantially at the same time, the display simultaneously displays the measurements, which are measured and are upper and lower limits, and/or a plurality of measurements, which are recorded in the memory, with classifying the measurements into the upper limits and the lower limits whose display areas are divided separately.
The 20th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 20) is an vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;
a speaker outputting measurements, measured by the vital sensors, by sound; and
a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, and the speaker.
The 21st invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 21) is a vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;
an camera taking a picture of a predetermined object;
memory recording measurements measured by the vital sensors and/or objects whose images are taken by the camera;
a communication terminal of transmitting all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory; and
a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, the camera, the memory, and the communication terminal.
The 22nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 22) is the vital sign box according to 21st invention, wherein the communication terminal receives predetermined information from a communication partner, and wherein the vital sign box comprises a display that is contained in the housing, and not only displays all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory, but also displays information from the communication partner inputted by the communication terminal.
The 23rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 23) is the vital sign box according to 22nd invention, wherein one of information from the communication partner, which is displayed in the display, is arrowhead information for specifying a predetermined position of the display, and the arrowhead is displayed in the display with all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory that are displayed in the display.
The 24th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 24) is the vital sign box according to 23rd invention wherein the arrowhead information is coordinate information of the position when the arrowhead is let to be displayed in the display, and the display has shape information of the arrowhead to be displayed and displays the arrowhead on the basis of the coordinate information from the communication partner.
The 25th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 25) is an vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;
a power supply section that is provided so as not to contact with the vital sensors and supplies electric power from the outside of the vital sign box to all or part of the plurality of vital sensors with using an electromagnetic wave by electromagnetic induction; and
a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, and the power supply section.
The 26th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 26) is an vital sign box comprising:
a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;
a microphone inputting sound;
a communication terminal transmitting sound inputted by the microphone; and
a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, the microphone, and the communication terminal.
The 27th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 27) is an vital sign box comprising:
a display displaying inquiry items to a user;
an inquiry result input section of inputting an inquiry result to inquiries in the display;
a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section; and
a housing containing the display, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal.
The 28th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 28) is the vital sign box according to 27th invention, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent and the display also displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.
The 29th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 29) is the vital sign box according to 27th invention wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises a speaker that is contained in the housing and outputs information from the communication partner, which is inputted by the communication terminal, with using sound.
The 30th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 30) is an vital sign box comprising:
a speaker outputting inquiry items to a user by sound;
an inquiry result input section inputting an inquiry result to inquiries from the speaker;
a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section; and
a housing containing the speaker, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal.
The 31st invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 31) is the vital sign box according to 30th invention wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the speaker also outputs information from the communication partner, which is inputted by the communication terminal, with using sound.
The 32nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 32) is the vital sign box according to 30th invention, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises the display that is contained in the housing and displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.
The 33rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 33) is the vital sign box according to any one of 1st, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 27th, and 30th inventions, wherein the housing has a lid; wherein a clamp for closing the lid and fixing the lid to the main body of the housing is provided in each of a main body of the housing and the lid; and wherein a handle is provided in the main body of the housing.
The 34th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 34) is the vital sign box according to any one of 1st to 32nd inventions, further comprising a password input section of inputting a password of a user, wherein measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or an object whose image is taken by the camera are managed with being associated with a password inputted in the password input unit.
The 35th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 35) is the vital sign box according to any one of 1st to 32nd inventions, wherein all or part of the plurality of vital sensors and/or the camera each have an electric power storage section storing electric power.
The 36th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 36) is the vital sign box according to any one of 1st to 32nd inventions, further comprising a display displaying usage of an vital sign box.
The 37th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 37) is the vital sign box according to 36th invention, wherein all or part of the usage is displayed by an image.
The 38th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 38) is the vital sign box according to 37th invention, wherein the image is a graphic image of measurements measured by a vital sensor.
The 39th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 39) is the vital sign box according to 36th invention, wherein the display is a touch panel type liquid crystal display and changes display contents by a predetermined portion of the liquid crystal display being touched by a user.
The 40th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 40) is the vital sign box according to any one of 1st to 32nd inventions, further comprising a speaker outputting usage of an vital sign box by sound.
The 41st invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 41) is the vital sign box according to 40th invention, further comprising: a display displaying usage of an vital sign box; and a change instruction input section of inputting an instruction for changing an output of the usage from an output where sound from the speaker is used to an output where display in the display is used.
The 42nd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 42) is the vital sign box according to any one of 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 22nd, 27th, 32nd, 36th, and 41st inventions, wherein the display is a touch panel type display having a software keyboard function.
The 43rd invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 43) is the vital sign box according to any one of 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 22nd, 27th, 32nd, 36th, and 41st inventions, wherein at least part of the housing consists of metallic material, and the vital sign box comprises a connecting section that consists of metallic material and connects a heating section, generating heat in connection with image display to the display, with a metallic material section of the housing.
The 44th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 44) is the vital sign box according to any one of 20th, 30th, and 40th inventions, wherein at least part of the housing consists of metallic material, and the vital sign box comprises a connecting section that consists of metallic material and connects a heating section, generating heat in connection with a sound output from the speaker, with a metallic material section of the housing.
The 45th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 45) is the vital sign box according to any one of 21st, 26th, 27th, and 30th inventions, wherein at least part of the housing consists of metallic material, and the vital sign box comprises a connecting section that consists of metallic material and connects a heating section, generating heat in connection with information communication in the communication terminal, with a metallic material section of the housing.
The 46th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 46) is a medium that bears a program and/or data for letting a computer execute all or part of functions of the vital sign box according to any one of 36th to 41st inventions, the medium with which a computer can perform processing.
The 47th invention of the present invention (corresponding to claim 47) is an information aggregation, wherein the information aggregation is a program and/or data for letting a computer execute all or part of functions of the vital sign box according to any one of 36th to 41st inventions.